Breaking Boundaries embracing Her Authenticity

The day I saw Jared Stanley's interview, I filed for divorce and moved out of the perfectly maintained home I'd shared with him for three years.

In that interview, Jared said his biggest regret in life was that, in a life-or-death situation, he instinctively protected what he called his most "precious national asset."

The "asset" he protected wasn't me, his wife. It was his "fragile" colleague, Bailee Brooks.

Two days later, at the global press conference for the G20 summit.

The same renowned war correspondent asked me the same question.

"Ms. Quinn, as a top-tier simultaneous interpreter, what would you say is the professional principle you are most proud of?"

I looked directly at Jared sitting in the front row.

"True professionalism is knowing that my husband risked his life to protect his mistress, and still being able to calmly, as the lead interpreter, accurately convey the commands that would ultimately save him."

....

"Kathy, are you seeing this?"

My best friend Joyce Clarke's voice came through the phone speaker, tight with anger.

I was packing a suitcase, my phone on speaker.

On the TV, Jared sat in the National Broadcaster studio, wearing that deep blue suit I'd ironed countless times.

The host looked at him with admiration. "Minister Stanley, the situation was so dangerous. Why did you rush to protect Bailee?"

Jared gazed earnestly into the camera. "On the diplomatic front line, every colleague is a precious national asset. Protecting them is my instinct."

The live chat exploded.

"A true hero injured for the country!"

"Jared is the kind of man to marry!"

"This is what a diplomat's responsibility looks like!"

I let out a cold laugh, shoving the last shirt into the suitcase.

"Kathy, are you okay?" Joyce's voice trembled.

"I'm fine."

I turned off the TV, and the room went silent.

Three years of marriage, summed up by his single word, "instinct."

The "national asset" he protected wasn't me, the lead interpreter who held my own against seasoned diplomats at the negotiation table.

It was Bailee, the one who "fainted" when the gunshots started.

I opened a drawer and took out an encrypted flash drive.

On it was the complete audio recording from the Mayland hostage crisis.

Including the entire process of Jared violating operational discipline, almost getting everyone killed for his "heroic rescue."